Once the baddest man on the planet, Fabricio Werdum has reportedly decided to call it a career after 25 years.
Brazil’s Werdum had the perfect run to the UFC heavyweight title in 2015, winning five-straight fights and the interim championship before tapping out undisputed champ Cain Velasquez in Mexico City.
Werdum wouldn’t stay on top, dethroned by heavyweight great Stipe Miocic in 2016, but he remained fighting elite competition until his exit in 2020.
At the age of 47, the former champion was scheduled to face Frank Mir in the GFL with the bout ultimately being scrapped due to an injury for Mir. Werdum apparently lost interest in fighting for the new promotion thereafter.
GFL confirms Fabricio Werdum’s retirement
On Thursday, shortly after the cancellation of Mir vs. Werdum, the GFL announced Werdum was out of the season and had retired from MMA.
“Unfortunately, due to injury Fabricio Werdum has been forced to withdraw from the inaugural GFL Season,” the GFL wrote on X.
“We wish Fabricio a speedy recovery and all the best as he embarks on his post MMA journey!”
“Fabricio has retired from MMA due to injury,” the GFL confirmed to a fan.
While the GFL pinpointed Werdum’s retirement on injuries, it’s worth noting Werdum said he lost motivation to compete with Frank Mir’s withdrawal.
Werdum has yet to make any comment at this time.
Fabricio Werdum’s career
News of Werdum’s retirement comes nearly four years removed from his final, traditional MMA fight. In 2021, Werdum fought former PFL heavyweight champion Renan Ferreira, initially losing by TKO before the fight was overturned to a no-contest result.
Werdum’s most recent fight was without gloves on as the Brazilian rematched Junior Dos Santos in Sep. 2023 under the Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA banner. Werdum would lose in a bloody unanimous decision.
Across 35 professional fights, Fabricio Werdum defeated the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Cain Velasquez, Mark Hunt, Antonio Silva, Alexander Gustafsson and more.
Werdum was among a mighty few Brazilians to win the UFC heavyweight title along with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Junior Dos Santos. The 47-year-old made his pro debut in 2002 and his UFC debut in 2007.
